Dirty, Pretty, Things
by Life after Nothing
Summary: My first R story... wow... summarry in on the first chapter. It's kinda long so yea. Hermione has a dirty past with a dirty little secret. any one she tells is found dead or missing. have fun reading...
1. Flashback Sentancing, Escape

Chapter One: Flashback- Sentencing, Escape~~~~~~~~`````  
  
Title: Dirty, Pretty Things  
  
Summary: Post-Hogwarts. Hermione has a dirty past that comes with a dirty little secret. She never told anyone for fear that her past would come back and kill her for her deeds. Her secret starts to be uncovered and slowly one by one anyone who finds out the truth dies or is missing and is found in unexpected places. Can Hermione try to fight the demon that forced her to hind her life from those who she cares for the most or will she surrender to it and lose every thing that she once held dear?  
  
******************  
  
It was raining and Hermione stood in a dark room breathing heavily as she tried to calm her nerves. He was coming; she could feel it as the nervous knot in her stomach worsened. She sat down on the cold floor and brought her knees to her chest. She rested her forehead on her knees and placed her arms protectively over her head. She could here his faint footsteps on the cold stone floor as he approached her hiding place. **God damn you Faith! You told me that he would never find me. And now he has! And worst of all he has ripped out your heart just to get the information then sent it to me!** Hermione thought her body shaking with fright. Tears streamed down her already tear stained cheeks as the memories of that day flooded her mind.  
  
The footsteps grew louder and her body tensed. She knew him all to well to know that he would never rest until she was his. Why didn't she just turn him over so this whole ordeal would have never happened? **Why me? Why must I be the one who is responsible for these terrible murders?!?** She screamed in her head. Her breathing became ragged as she heard him draw nearer to her hiding place. She then remembered the secret passage in the corner of the room. She stood silently and made her way over to the trap door. The door would only open to her because she charmed it to know her DNA and no one else's. She touched the door and it opened silently she lowered her self and the door closed automatically with a quiet snap. As soon as she started her way down the tunnel she heard the door above her that lad her to her former hiding place bang open. She willed herself not to scream as she heard his voice.  
  
"Hermione my love! Where are you? I have come to take you away from all this so we may start a new life together. Stop hiding from me you know I could never hurt you in any way." He called out. She knew that he had his long jagged knife in his boot and that his body was tense so that he could whip it out if he saw movement. **You can't hurt me but you hurt every one around me** Hermione thought as she stood frozen to her spot, which happened to be directly under him. Silent tears fell down her cheeks, her breathing became shaky but it was still silent so he wouldn't know that she was under him.  
  
"Oh my love, please don't cry I'll wash my bloody hands and we'll start a new life." He sang starting to move around the room looking for her. **Go away Jack. Please just go away. Leave me be! Never come back to me again!** She screamed in her head. She willed him with all her might to make him leave but he just kept walking around the large dark room humming the song that had plagued her dreams. She stepped forward into the tunnel with out a noise and continued on hoping to god that he wouldn't hear her or find the trap door.  
  
When she was sure that she was a safe distance away she broke into a run. She knew these tunnels like that back of her hand. She used them so many times to escape him. She turned left and took a sharp right. Her body knew the way expertly to the ministry. She knew that was the only place he wouldn't go to look for her or fear of being caught and executed. She reached the stone door that led into the ministry and paused to catch her breath. That's when she heard faint running foot steps coming towards her. **NO!!** She thought as she pulled the door open and closed it behind her. She locked the door with a spell and ran through the ministry. Witches and Wizards stopped and stared at the strange girl who was running like mad to the lift to get to the Ministers office. An old Wizard held the door as she ran in and slammed her self into the wall of the lift.  
  
"Minister.No time.hurry." Hermione panted as the lift door closed. The old man nodded noting her state of panic. He pressed the button and the life started to move. The doors opened soon after and Hermione walked out. She broke out into a run again and slammed her self into the Ministers door. At impact it opened and she fell into the grand office panting and on the verge of hyperventilating. Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge looked up from his meeting with Lucius Malfoy, and his son, Draco Malfoy, to see Hermione on her hands and knees on the floor breathing heavily tears streaming down her face again. Fudge looked at her with worry in his eyes.  
  
"He.Found me.followed me in the tunnel.just got away.He's going to kill again.Must stop him." Hermione panted to him before passing out onto the floor. Lucius eyed her with distaste.  
  
"What is SHE doing here?" He asked looking disgusted.  
  
"That is none of your business, Lucius. Now will one of you go call St. Mungo's and ask for Linda to come here at once please?" Fudge said standing and walking over to the unconscious Hermione Granger. Lucius stood and walked to the door and left to call St. Mungo's.  
  
"Draco, will you place her on the couch while I get something cool to place on her forehead?" Fudge asked again standing and moving towards the door. Draco sat for a few seconds before getting up and kneeling besides the still body of Hermione. He picked her up and to his surprise she barely seemed to weigh anything in his arms. He placed her on the couch and looked at her stressed but pretty face. It had been at least a year or two since he last saw her. He had to admit she did become quiet beautiful in that time apart. Her face was tear stained from many nights and days of crying. There was sweat on her forehead from her running and from all that fear that resided in her body. Draco noticed a slash wound on her arm and on her side. He lifted up her shirt a little and gasped at the size of and goriness of the slash wound. He turned her arm and examined the slash wound there. He noted that it must have been done during a struggle of some kind and from a jagged, long, blade. The wounds seemed resent and seemed to be just starting to heal. Her body was bruised and mud was smeared on her body. Draco brushed the hair from her face and dabbed at her forehead with his sleeve. He felt something for her at that moment. She stirred but didn't wake.  
  
"Jack." She whispered tilting her head to the side. ".No Jack.Please.I beg of you leave her alone!...Please listen to me!...Don't do it Jack I know you don't want to." Her voice trailed off. She jerked her head back and forth and her body started going into spasms. She jerked her self from side to side as if fighting some unseen force. Her eyes snapped open. She screamed. Draco had never heard such a scream before. It was one of pure terror, it was blood curdling. Draco was sure that the whole Ministry had heard it.  
  
"No!" She cried sitting up hurriedly. "No! You will not win me this time! I'm not yours do you hear me!" Hermione yelled. She looked over at Draco who had been knocked back with shock when she suddenly started to yell. Her breathing was ragged again and her eyes were filled with terror.  
  
"Draco.?" She whispered sliding off the couch and kneeling in front of him.  
  
"Yes, Hermione, it's me Draco Malfoy." Draco answered attempting to be calm but was failing miserably. She reached out a hand and touched his cheek as if trying to make sure he was real.  
  
"Where's Fudge?" She asked moving to lean against the couch.  
  
"He went to get a cold compress and probably to meet this Linda person from St. Mungo's who's coming here because of your strange arrival here." Draco answered. Hermione put her head in her hands.  
  
"This should never have happened. Why was I so stupid at the time? She would have still been alive if I hadn't told her about what was going on. He always kills those who I tell." Hermione said to mostly herself. She seemed to have calmed down but he knew she was really going crazy inside. Fudge, Lucius, and Linda burst through the door at that moment. Linda and Fudge rushed towards Hermione while Lucius stayed back and grabbed Draco's arm and pulled him to his feet.  
  
"Come Draco we're leaving." He said moving towards the door. Hermione looked up with pleading eyes.  
  
"No! Please Draco don't go!" She cried out. "Please. I need some one right now. Please Mr. Malfoy, please don't take him away." She pleaded attempting to stand. Her legs failed her and she fell forward. Draco caught her and placed her back on the couch. Lucius was furious at that point.  
  
"First you interrupt a very important meeting with the Minister, Draco and I. and now you don't want Draco to leave? You, my dear, are a stupid mudblood who shouldn't interrupt things between those who are higher then you." Lucius sneered at her grabbing Draco again.  
  
"You think you're all high and mighty just because you're a pureblood and because you, Mr. Malfoy, are a Death Eater to Voldermort. You say that you can are not afraid and don't feel pain. But if you knew what I was going through you would hide under your bed and cry for your mum!" Hermione yelled from her spot on the couch. Linda, the medi-witch, was lifting up her arm and gasped at the wound.  
  
"Did HE do this to you?" The medi-witch asked holding Hermione's arm close to her face as she examined it. Hermione shuddered at the memory.  
  
"Yeah, umm.is it ok if I take off my shirt while you examine?" Hermione asked placing a hand gingerly on her left side. There was a large blood stain on her left side that went from her armpit to the end of her blue shirt.  
  
"Why of course! With a blood stain like that you'll need to if you want me to examine it!" Linda cried letting go of her arm; the presence of Lucius, Draco and the Minister forgotten at the moment. Hermione carefully removed her shirt to reveal another slash wound this one, however, was ever worse, blood still trickled out a little. At Linda's touch Hermione groaned in pain.  
  
"Oh my god! What has he done to you! And he says that he could never hurt you! Look at what he's done to you! You really need to tell him to get over you." Linda cried again opening her small medical bag and pulling out all sorts of creams and potions.  
  
"It won't heal fully, Linda, the scare will always be there. That's what his blade was charmed to do. Never heal, always leave his victims who survive with the memory that they could die very painfully by his hand." Hermione told her. She looked away tears welling in her eyes again. She felt someone's hand on hers. She looked at her hand and followed up others arm to meet the icy blue-grey eyes of Draco Malfoy.  
  
"Draco, we are leaving now! I do not want you to get involved with this Mudblood!" Lucius bellowed grabbing Draco's shoulder.  
  
"I'm not leaving, father, I'm going to stay with Hermione. She needs some one now and I'm going to help her." Draco said glaring at his father.  
  
"How dare you deify me?" Lucius bellowed again. At this point Fudge stepped in and placed a hand on Lucius' arm.  
  
"Let him stay, Lucius, You have no idea what Hermione here is going through. And she is right; you would hide under your bed if you knew what went on in her life." He said removing Mr. Malfoy's hand from Draco's shoulder. "If you want to leave go right on ahead. Draco, however, is staying." Fudge continued motioning to the door and then to Draco. Mr. Malfoy glared at Draco before turning on his heal and walking towards the door.  
  
"Oh, and Mr. Malfoy could you ask Narcissa to come over. Tell her that it has to do with a certain some and Miss Granger please?" Linda asked just as he reached the door. Lucius nodded and left. Linda turned back to Hermione and placed a piece of fabric, which had all sorts of antibiotics on it, on her side. Hermione screamed in pain as she rubbed it carefully over the wound.  
  
"Tell me what happened, 'Mione dear, it will be better for your self if you did." Linda said in a motherly tone.  
  
"He killed her." Hermione whispered tears filling her again. She closed her eyes as the tears fell down her face.  
  
"Killed who my dear?" Linda asked even though she knew who she was talking about.  
  
"He killed Faith because I told her about us. I told her every thing and that I needed a hiding place. She told me where to go and that she would join me in five days to take me to the next place. If she didn't come then I was to go on without her. The fifth day came and she never showed up. Instead I got a package." Hermione's voice trailed off as she cried even harder. "Inside.inside w-was her.h-heart and a note telling me that she had a good heart and the she was a sweet girl." She finished. She was shaking again as she held back sobs. She gripped Draco's hand tighter and cried out all her emotions that she had held in that last few days. Draco pulled her into his arms and held her once Linda had placed a bandage over her wounded side. Narcissa opened the door quietly and walked in but stopped when she saw the scene in front of her. Draco was HOLDING Hermione Granger, a Gryffindor a MUDBLOOD for heavens sake! She cried into his chest her body shaking violently. Narcissa pulled her white blond hair into a pony tail with the white scrunchy around her wrist.  
  
"Narcissa, glad that you came so fast do you have it?" Linda asked greeting the older woman. The blond nodded and walked quietly over to where Draco and Hermione were sitting.  
  
"Hermione dear, I'm here to help you." Narcissa said kneeling down in front of her. Hermione turned her head to face her.  
  
"Narcissa, nice to see you again. I can't take this anymore, please help me rid him from my life." Hermione whispered still not letting go of Draco. Narcissa smiled sadly and placed a hand on her cheek.  
  
"It'll be ok, don't worry 'Mione. We'll put him where he belongs, one way or another. We just need you to help us. You need to get to him s owe can take him away for good." Narcissa said as if she were talking to a small child. Hermione tightened her grip on Draco and shook her head.  
  
"He'll know. He always knows! He won't come to me unless I tell some one or if I go back into the tunnels and go back to the last place that he almost found me. And I really don't want to see him again." Hermione explained her eyes darting towards the door. Draco rubbed her back trying to calm her even though he had no idea what was going on.  
  
"Please Hermione. You want him out of your life don't you? Here take this it'll help you." Narcissa said pulling a small vile out of her cloak and opening it. She handed it to Hermione who took it and eyed it suspiciously. She looked at Mrs. Malfoy questioningly who nodded encouragingly to her. Hermione swallowed and placed the vile opening at her mouth. She took a deep breath before drinking the potion in one gulp. She instantly felt warmth surge through her body along with confidence. Hermione pulled away from Draco and looked at the floor.  
  
"Ok, I'll find him. Fudge I'll need you to get your best auroras out there he's very dangerous and very good at seeing through anyone's lies." Hermione said standing. She was terrified inside but she was good about keeping that on the inside. Draco stood as well and watched Hermione cautiously. She turned and flung her arms around Draco's neck and kissed him. When she pulled away she said.  
  
"I've always wanted to do that." With that she turned and walked out the door with the Minister.  
  
Hermione stood again for the second time that night in the dark room awaiting his return. She knew that he knew she was there. He always seemed to know where she was no matter where he was or what country she was in. She heard his foot steps on the stone and she shuddered. The foot steps stopped just outside the door before it opened and he stepped in.  
  
"My love, you have come back to me." He said walking towards her with his arms out stretched. He enveloped her in a tender hug and felt her flinch when his arm pressed against her side.  
  
"I didn't hurt you did I?" He asked her. When Hermione didn't answer he frowned. "I did didn't I? I'm sorry I never meant for it to happen. Please accept my apology." He said kissing her neck tenderly. Hermione closed her eyes forcing back tears.  
  
"I'm sorry." She whispered. He looked up with a confused expression on his face. "I'm sorry Jack. You'll have to forgive me in due time. I'm only doing it for our safety." She whispered. In one swift movement she pulled out her wand and yelled "impedimenta!". He flew back and hit the wall. "Now!" She yelled again. Several Aurorers jumped from their hiding places and grabbed Jack.  
  
"NO!!" He yelled "I thought you loved me! I thought we loved each other! This is how you show me your love?" He yelled.  
  
"I'm sorry. I can't let you hurt me again. That's all you've done Jack is hurt me!" Hermione cried out crumpling into a ball on the floor murmuring 'I'm sorry' over and over again trying to block out his yells as he was taken away and put into a special cell in Azkaban. 


	2. Child of the Ripper

Chapter Two: Child of the Ripper~~~~~~```  
  
Hermione jolted awake and sat up her eyes darting around the room. She sighed remembering that she was safe inside the Malfoy Manor sleeping next to her fiancé, Draco Malfoy. She slipped out of bed and walked through a door that led into an adjoining room. A small bed stood in the corner by the large window. Hermione walked over to the bed and kneeled down next to it looking into dark, almost black, eyes of her three year old baby girl.  
  
"Can't sleep either Bethany?" Hermione asked brushing the child's black hair away from her face.  
  
"No, I keep having bad dreams about a bad man coming and hurting you and daddy." Bethany said. Hermione picked up the small girl and walked over to the big window.  
  
"Don't worry, love, no bad man is going to come and hurt me or daddy. It's just a bad dream." She reassured the child kissing the top of her head. Bethany snuggled up against Hermione's chest.  
  
"I love you mommy." She whispered before closing her eyes and drifting back off to sleep.  
  
"I love you too, baby girl." Hermione whispered back placing Bethany down gently onto her bed. Hermione left the room back into the master bed room. She walked silently to the door and grabbed her black silk robe from the back of a chair that was by the door.  
  
"Hermione.?" a voice asked from behind her when she reached the door. "Where are you going?" It asked again. She turned and saw Draco sitting up on the side closest to Hermione. Hermione smiled sadly at him and leaned against the door.  
  
"I couldn't sleep again. I was going to get a cup of tea and take a walk through the garden." Hermione explain looking any where but at Draco. Draco stood and walked over to her wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her gently towards him.  
  
"What's wrong? You haven't been sleeping well lately. I'm worried about you." Draco said concern showing in his eyes. Hermione felt his eyes on her boring into her body and mind finding the answers she didn't want to say.  
  
"I'm just worried about us. And about Bethany; when she gets older she's going to find out that you're not her father. And we're going to have to tell her that she's the daughter of the ripper!" Hermione said softly tears welling in her eyes. She rested her head against Draco's shoulder and let the tears slide silently down her face.  
  
"Shh, it's ok. We'll work this out together when the time comes. Right now we just have to worry about the wedding that happens to be in only two weeks from now." Draco said rubbing her back. Hermione couldn't help but smile. She wiped away the tears and looked into Draco's eyes and kissed him. Draco slid him tong along her bottom lip and she opened her mouth allowing him to deepen the kiss. Hermione pulled away before it could get any deeper.  
  
"Bethany is still here you know. You are just going to have to wait three WHOLE more days before we do anything." Hermione said teasingly searching for the doorknob with her hand behind her back. She found the knob and gave him a devilish smile.  
  
"You want me?" Hermione asked opening the door slightly "Come and get me." She told him. With that she opened the door all the way turned and ran down the long hallway. While all this happened Draco had fallen forwards but he soon caught himself and chased after her.  
  
Hermione ran down their privet corridor and ran up the stairs two by two and when she got near the top three by three. She could hear Draco behind her catching up quickly behind her which made her giggle, she felt giddy and carefree even though there was this weight in her stomach that made her nervous. She pushed away this feeling and continued her run laughing when she heard Draco only three paces behind her. She was a fast runner but Draco had longer legs then she did so he could catch up to her. She pushed herself to go faster her body melting away into nothing as she ran faster and faster leaving Draco in her dust. Draco was amazed by her speed when she sped ahead way out of his reach. She was certainly different it seemed as if she could go through walls at the speed she was going. She seemed to leave her body behind and just run with her spirit. Draco sped up as well trying to catch up to her.  
  
Hermione slowed as she got near a turn in the hall. She knew that she was near Lucius and Narsissa's master bedroom. She feet tred quietly along red carpeted floor. The carpet was thin so that Lucius' boots would make a tapping noise on the floor when he walked. She heard Draco speed up with his ragged breaths from running like mad to catch up with her. She slowed a bit as she came near the turn. She just started to speed up again when Draco's strong arms caught her around the middle tackling her to the ground with a quiet crash. Hermione had turned when she was falling so that she would face him and now she lay on her back staring with a raised eyebrow at Draco waiting for him to say something.  
  
"Caught you." He panted; Hermione laughed softly and kissed him. "And you're not out of breath? How is that possible?" Draco asked half mockingly.  
  
"I don't know, maybe I'm some type of alien. You never know, I could be anything and you're going to marry me." Hermione stated laughing softly. A noise came from behind the door that they lay before. Hermione snapped her head in the direction of the noise and saw the handle jiggling. Draco had reached out a hand and pressed a button. They started to lower and Hermione giggled a little when she heard the voice of Lucius asking who was out there and to show them selves. Narsissa's soft voice came next telling him to go back to bed. Draco rolled to the side of her and propped himself up on his elbow watching her as she sat up and looked around in confusion. Fear radiated off of her, she obviously didn't like it down here.  
  
"I've been here before." She stated her eyes searching around the room. "I've hidden here. He never found me here because I guess I was under your manor." Draco frowned as she spoke.  
  
"No one's been down here for years. Well, not since the first fall of Voldermort." Draco said now sitting up thinking deeply of how she could have been down here. "Who are you talking about? Who's 'he'?" Draco asked standing and moving to stand besides Hermione, who was running her hands over the walls in search of something.  
  
"Here," She said pulling something out from the wall. Part of the wall slid open and revealed another room in which she entered closely followed by Draco. As she stepped in she took a sharp breath as memories were let loose in her mind. She looked around and heard crying, screams, evil laughter, and worst of all the heavy breath of the unseen stalker that followed her no matter where she went.  
  
"We have to get out of here now." She said sharply turning and walking quickly out of the room. Draco stood for a few moments looking around the room in confusion. When he went back into the other room Hermione was sitting against the wall slowly rocking her self back and forth looking afraid of something. He walked over to her and kneeled down placing his hand on hers. He pulled her gently to her feet and pressed a button on the wall. They moved upward and Hermione gripped him tightly until the floor stopped moving and they were in the hallway again. Hermione shivered despite the heat coming form both her body and Draco's. Draco hugged her tighter before letting go and looking at her.  
  
"You alright?" he asked sincerely rubbing her back. She nodded and they started to walk down the hall towards the stairs. As soon as they reached the corner a large blond figure jumped out at them.  
  
"HA! I knew some one was out there! I told you Narcissa! I told you!" Lucius Malfoy yelled triumphantly to his wife who stepped out from around the corner since Lucius made her wait there with him.  
  
"Oh it's just you two. What are you doing out here at three in the mourning!" Lucius exclaimed at Draco ignoring Hermione's presence. Draco was lost for words when Hermione spoke up clearly annoyed that Mr. Malfoy was ignoring her.  
  
"I couldn't sleep. And neither could Draco so we decided to take a walk around the manor since it's big enough to put a lot of foot ball fields (soccer) in it." Hermione explained stepping next to Draco looking Lucius straight in the eye with an hair of defiance in her voice and posture.  
  
"I don't believe I asked you mud- Hermione." He stated glancing over at Narcissa who was glaring at him.  
  
"Well, not that we've got this all settled." Narcissa said stepping forward and taking Lucius by the arm. "Lets go back to bed." With that she pulled him away back down the hall and into their bed room.  
  
"What's wrong? Come now you can tell me." Draco said soothingly as they walked down the hall.  
  
"It's just... I think I've been there before..." 


	3. Wedding day, But Still Sorrow Comes Part...

Chapter Two: Wedding Day, But Still Sorrow Comes Part I  
  
It was Hermione Granger's wedding day, the day she would become Mrs. Hermione Malfoy. She would start a new life with Draco, her child Bethany, and she without the looming memory of what once had been. She stood in front of the full length mirror Narsissa's master bedroom and admired herself tears threatening to fall.  
  
'I see you! You can't hide forever Hermione!' came a whispering voice as a breeze came drifting through the open window. The door opened and she whirled around to see her mum, Ginny, Mrs. Weasley, and Narsissa come through the door with big smiles on their faces.  
  
"Oh my dear daughter, I'm so happy for you! I've always dreamed of this day when I would see you wed! And now it's finally happening!" Mrs. Granger cried flinging her arms around Hermione's neck enclosing her into a tight hug.  
  
"Oh Emily, you don't want to kill her on her wedding day because then who would my son marry?" Narcissa asked smiling broadly. Hermione's eyes widened slightly with the word 'kill' she never liked that word and after all she's been through she never wanted to hear it again.  
  
"Speaking of Draco how is he?" Hermione asked finally breaking free of her mothers grasp.  
  
"A nervous wreck, nothing seems to calm him. I tired, little Bethany tired, and now Lucius is trying to calm him. One would think that Bethany would calm him because she is his daughter but he just told her to go see Aunt Ginny and Uncle Harry. Hermione laughed at this. Draco was getting more and more nervous as this day approached she could imagine what it must feel like for him.  
  
********** (IN DRACO'S ROOM)  
  
"I'm bloody getting married and you're telling me calm down?!?!" Draco shouted at his father running his hands for the thousandth time through his already messy hair.  
  
"Draco listen, I know you're nervous it's only natural for you to be but I believe you are over reacting." Lucius said calmly with a cold stare.  
  
"I don't see you getting married to Hermione Granger, who happens to be one of my worst enemy's best friends! AND the girl with the most foggy and difficult past that any master wizard or witch would have a life time of uncovering!" Draco retorted glaring at his father.  
  
"Bringing up enemies the dark lord is growing very impatience with you; he wants to get the mark soon." His father said in an airy tone waving a dismissive hand.  
  
"How DARE you bloody bring that up on my wedding day! I've told you once and I'll tell you again tell Voldermort that he can shove the bloody mark up his ass because I happening to be marrying a MUDBLOOD and oh doesn't he hate them? And guess what? I really don't care! I love her and I'm not going to join him whether my life depended on it! Now get out of my room!" Draco shouted shaking with anger. Lucius looked at him with horror written all over his face.  
  
"Fine, I'll just tell him that. Let's see what he says and does for that matter." Lucius answered coolly running a hand through his hair.  
  
"I said out." Draco replied venom in every word. Lucius moved to the door.  
  
"I'd keep a close watch on your soon to be wife from now on." He said and left. **She's been through worse then some dark lord out to get her** Draco thought collapsing on his bed. The door opened again and closed quietly.  
  
"I thought I told you to get out." Draco said with annoyance sitting up but saw Bethany standing by the door and his expression softened. "Oh it's just you. Come, come sit with me love." Bethany ran across the room and jumped up onto the bed and crawled into Draco's lap.  
  
"You and grandpa have a fight?" she asked  
  
"Yeah, he just doesn't understand how much I love you mum." Draco replied taking the little girls hand and rubbing his thumb on the back of it.  
  
"But if you love her it shouldn't matter what he thinks right?" Bethany asked. She always did sound older then she really was.  
  
"You know sometimes I forget that you're just a child. You really do take after your mum." She smiled and leaned against him. "And you're right, I don't care what he thinks because I love Hermione and I love you."  
  
"Mum's really nervous. When I was walking past her room I heard her talking to herself about something that happened long ago. She kept repeating something but her voice was too muffled for me to hear it." She said after a few moments of silence.  
  
"Really?" He asked raising his eye brows at her. 'You will never take her from me. She is mine and mine alone.' A voice whispered in the wind that passed through the windows. Draco shivered and stood placing Bethany down next to him.  
  
"I'm going to talk to Hermione." He said starting for the door but was held back when small hands grabbed onto his pant leg.  
  
"NO! Grandma Emily said that it's bad luck if you see each other on your wedding day!" She said pulling him back but not succeeding.  
  
"No, don't worry sweetie, I'm not going to see her I'm just going to talk to her." And with that she let go and Draco left with her close behind but Bethany went all the way down stairs instead of following him to Hermione's room.  
  
"Hermione?" Draco called knocking on the door. The door opened a crack and Draco could seem her cinnamon eyes peering at him.  
  
"Oh good it's you. Come in, come in." She said opening the door up more so her face was showing.  
  
"But isn't it bad luck for the groom to see his bride on their wedding day?" Draco asked pulling the door closed abit. Hermione gave him a look that said 'I really don't give a rat's ass about superstition.'  
  
"Fine, then I'll turn myself invisible." She said pulling out her wand and mumbling a few spells and opened the door fully but no one was there. "Well, get in here!" Came her worried voice even though he couldn't see her. He walked into the room and the door closed.  
  
"He's alive, and he's out." She blurted out.  
  
"Who?" Draco asked sitting on the bed but was then pushed off the bed for he was sitting on Hermione.  
  
"You know perfectly well who," Came her annoyed answer. "And you know that if I told you he would kill you."  
  
"Oh, him."  
  
"I'm afraid Draco." She said Draco looked to the spot she was supposedly sitting because on the bed there was a little indentation on the blankets. "I gave up my life for him. He's expecting me to be there for him, not to fall in love and get married to someone else."  
  
"I know it's hard but we can get through this." Draco said reassuringly "Remember when you first put him away how you would never go anywhere by your self? Well, now go everywhere you can go by yourself no matter what time it is!" A sigh came from Hermione's general direction.  
  
"I know, it's just hard you know?" She told him sighing again. "But you're right I'm not going to let anything ruin this day this is my special day that I dreamed of since I was a little girl! Now go and get ready you look like a tornado hit your hair." She continued laughing standing or what Draco thought was standing because her little indentation was gone. He felt her press her self against him in a hug and he hugged her beck or what he thought was her beck. He kissed her head and let go.  
  
"I'll see you at the alter." He said as he reached the door and left. She pulled her wand out again and reversed the spell she again walked over to her mirror and looked at her reflection. Her dress was the normal white but at the bottom it was hand painted a nice shade of green (her favorite color). The top was a strapless bodes that tied in the back for the authentic look, and the bottom fanned out nicely. 'I look pretty,' she thought but her eyes wondered to her right arm. 'If only I didn't have this scare. I can't believe even magic won't cover it!' She sighed and rubbed the scare, every time she did this she could feel his warm presence that she used to feel before it all happened. There was a knock on the door but Hermione didn't here it until it came again this time a bit louder.  
  
"Come in!" She called turning her head towards the door. It was her father. He had a smile on his face that just made her smile as well.  
  
"Ready to come down and become Draco's wife?" He asked in a cheerful voice walking into the room to stand in front of her. She nodded her head smiling joyously remembering how special today was going to be. Her father smiled down at her as well and linked his arm with hers leading her to the top of the stairs and slowly making their way down them. Hermione frowned at nothing in particular when they neared the bottom steps. She had her head bowed as she thought but there was a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach and after a few minutes more of thinking her head shot up eyes full of fear.  
  
"He's here!!" 


End file.
